Communication is key. This is true in many ways in the workplace, but especially so when it comes to safety. Without effective communication, safety protocols and procedures can easily fall through the cracks, increasing the risk of an incident on the job. Here are several reasons why communication is so important in the light industrial field and how it can make the workplace much safer.
Communicate Safety Expectations During Training
A safe workplace starts with training. You need to make sure that safety is emphasized when training new employees and updating training for more seasoned team members. This is also your chance to demonstrate how to safely perform tasks on the job.
Hold Regular Safety Meetings
Daily meetings to provide reminders about workplace safety can be a great way to communicate expectations. Many industrial managers hold these meetings at the beginning of the day before workers break off to start their day’s work. Emphasize that paying attention to the information provided in these meetings will help protect them in the workplace.
You may also consider holding events focused on safety. A monthly or quarterly event where you provide some type of entertainment, as well as communication, focused on safety procedures, in the workplace can be a good idea for some companies.
Ask Your Employees to Analyze Workplace Safety
JSA, or job safety analysis, is a great way to get feedback and information from your team regarding safety in the workplace. JSAs can help your team communicate potential hazards on the job. It also helps hold them accountable in terms of adhering to the protocols put in place.
Be sure the JSA is read to your entire team and truly understood. While they may seem repetitive for daily tasks, they can provide great reminders for your workers. As they do certain tasks every day, many employees get accustomed to the work and fail to recognize hazards. JSAs can be an effective communication tool for safety.
Clearly Post Safety Notifications
A safe workplace will communicate reminders about safety by posting information places employees frequent. Labels should be found on just about every piece of equipment, tool, and chemical your employees work with.
These labels will relay the most important safety information about the product or tool. Manufacturers typically include these labels on things, but it is a good idea to reinforce them with your own labels and signage. Be sure to have notifications posted and signs throughout the workspace to identify potential hazards.
Decrease Work Authority
Another thing that often keeps employees from coming forward about safety concerns is what will happen when they do. For instance, if they see someone doing a task unsafely, they may hesitate to say anything out of fear that it will cause conflict. Other contributing factors include not wanting to get into trouble with supervisors or not wanting to slow the workflow down.
Communicate with your staff to ensure that they know these things are not an issue and that it is better to flag unsafe practices in the workplace than do nothing. Remind them that stopping these practices will keep themselves and their coworkers safe.
Working with a staffing agency like GoSource can help you find the help you need. Contact us to see how we can assist you in finding experienced industrial workers to add to your workforce.
